Strawberry plant named ‘Magellan’

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Magellan’ (a.k.a. ‘108789’).

Latin name of the genus and species: Fragaria x ananassa.

Varietal denomination: ‘Magellan’ (a.k.a. ‘108789’).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry plant designated as ‘Magellan’ (a.k.a. ‘108789’). ‘Magellan’ is a short-day strawberry plant.

‘Magellan’ (a.k.a. ‘108789’) is the result of a controlled-cross between a female parent cultivar designated ‘107705’ (unpatented, proprietary cultivar) and a male parent cultivar designated ‘106861’ (unpatented, proprietary cultivar) made by the Inventor and was first fruited in Watsonville, Calif. growing fields. Following selection and during testing, the plant was originally designated ‘108789’ and subsequently named ‘Magellan’.

This new strawberry plant was asexually reproduced via runners (stolons) by the inventor at Watsonville, Calif. Asexual propagules from the original source have been tested in Watsonville growing fields and to a limited extent, grower fields in high elevation. The properties of this new strawberry plant were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. This new strawberry plant is stable and reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive strawberry plant designated as ‘Magellan’. This strawberry plant is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the central coast of California. This region provides the necessary temperatures required for it to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit production from March through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the needed humidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintain fruit quality for the production months.

The following traits and photographs in combination distinguish strawberry plant ‘Magellan’ from known strawberry varieties. In addition, this new strawberry plant was confirmed to be a unique strawberry germplasm when tested against the California Seed & Plant Lab, Inc. (Elverta, Calif.) database using Short Sequence Repeats (SSRs). Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. Any color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The fruit produced by each new cultivar is attractive and of excellent quality.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs depict various characteristics of the cultivars as nearly true as possible to make color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows fruits of ‘Magellan’.

FIG. 2 shows sliced fruits of ‘Magellan’.

FIG. 3 shows ‘Magellan’ plants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

‘Magellan’ (a.k.a. ‘108789’)

This invention relates to a new and distinctive short-day type strawberry cultivar designated as ‘Magellan’. It is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the central coast of California. This region provides the necessary temperatures required for it to produce a strong vigorous plant and to remain in fruit production from March through October. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides the needed humidity and moderate day temperatures and evening chilling to maintain fruit quality for the production months.

The following traits in combination distinguish strawberry plant ‘Magellan’ from the known strawberry plants. Plants for the botanical measurements in the present application were grown as annuals. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

The detailed botanical description in Table 1 was observed when the plants were 33 weeks after planting.

‘Magellan’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions, and the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe this plant as grown under normal conditions in Watsonville, Calif. unless otherwise noted.

TABLE 1 Magellen CharType Characteristic Magellan General Plant Habit annual Plant Growth Habit upright Plant Height 24 cm Plant Width 29 cm Plant Width-Crown  3 cm Density of foliage, vigor medium Plant vigor moderate to high Leaf Terminal leaflet width (mm) 79 Terminal leaflet length (mm) 82 No. teeth/terminal leaflet: 19 Shape of the terminal leaflet base rounded Shape of terminal leaflet in cross- concave section Margin description of the terminal serrate to crenate Color of upper side of leaves 137A Color of lower side of leaves 139C Leaf blistering weak Leaf glossiness weak Limbs Petiole length (cm) 13 Petiole diameter (mm) 3.89 Petiole color 145B Petiolule length (mm) 6 Petiolule diameter (mm) 3.89 Attitude of hairs on upwards petiole and pedicel Stipule pubescence medium to heavy Stipule length (cm) 5 Stipule size large Stipule width (cm) 1.2 Stipule anthocyanin present Stipule color (color code) 145A Pedicel color (color code) 145B Peduncle length (cm) 27 Peduncle size medium to large Peduncle attitude erect Peduncle pubescence, attitude of hairs Medium, upwards Inflorescence Inflorescence position relative to above foliage Flower arrangement of petals touching Petal length (cm) 1.5 Petal width (cm) 1.5 Petal number per flower 6 Upper Petal color 155C Lower Petal color 157B Calyx diameter (cm) 3.9 Corolla diameter (cm) 3.5 Sepal length (cm) 1.6 Sepal width (cm) 0.4 Time of flowering March (50% of plants in bloom) Shape of stigma capitate Color of stigma 12A Length of style (mm) 2 Color of style 4A Color of the ovary 145B Length of the stamens (mm) 5 Number of stamen 25 Anther color 12A Shape of anther dorsifixed Size of anther medium Amount of pollen moderate Color of pollen 4A Color of filament 2C Length of filament (mm) 4 Number of flowers per truss 2 to 7 Stolon Stolon number 3 Stolon anthocyanin 166A Widest diameter of stolon 4.41 At leaf attachment (mm) Stolon color 145B Fruit Number of fruit per truss 2 to 5 Fruit length (cm) 4.2 Fruit width (cm) 4.1 Fruit skin color 53A to 45A Fruit flesh color excluding core 44A Fruit core length (cm) 3.4 Fruit core width (cm) 1.8 Fruit core color 41A Fruit weight (g) 26.8 Predominant fruit shape short wedge to conic Shape difference between primary Similar shape & secondary fruits Width of band without of achenes medium Fruit glossiness medium to strong Position of achenes Achene color 145B Achenes per fruit 438 Achene weight (g) 0.26 Position of calyx even to inserted level of adherence of calyx strong Color of calyx 137A Firmness of flesh firm Evenness of flesh color nearly even Sweetness (brix) 9 pH 3.27 Yield (g per plant per season) 2675

When ‘Magellan’ is compared to the proprietary female parent (107705), the mean fruit width of ‘Magellan’ at the widest latitudinal measure is higher than that of the female parent. ‘Magellan’ fruit height is shorter than that of the female parent. ‘Magellan’ has a lower fruit dimension ratio (height/width) compared to the female parent. The fruit shape of ‘Magellan’ is symmetric conic, while the fruit shape of the female parent is conic. In terms of mean fruit yield between weeks 22 and 28 after planting, ‘Magellan’ is higher than the female parent.

When ‘Magellan’ is compared to the proprietary male parent (106861), the fruits of ‘Magellan’ are softer compared to the fruits of the male parent as measured by using a Wagner force gauge. ‘Magellan’ has a lower fruit dimension ratio (height/width) compared to the male parent. The fruit shape of ‘Magellan’ is symmetric conic, while the fruit shape of the male parent is conic. In terms of mean fruit yield between weeks 22 and 28 after planting, ‘Magellan’ is much higher than the male parent.

When ‘Magellan’ is compared to the check variety ‘Albion’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,228), the fruit dimension ratio (height/width) of ‘Magellan’ is lower than ‘Albion’, which confirms that ‘Albion’ has a longer conic fruit than the relatively round shape of ‘Magellan’. The petiole of ‘Albion’ is slightly thicker than that of ‘Magellan’. In terms of plant shape, ‘Albion’ was observed to spread or somewhat oblate while ‘Magellan’ was observed to be roundish. In terms of canopy foliage, ‘Magellan’ is denser and has higher cull rate than ‘Albion’, which makes it more difficult to harvest ‘Magellan’ than ‘Albion’. The fruits of ‘Magellan’ are less susceptible to bruising than that of ‘Albion’. ‘Magellan’ has a greater fruit yield than ‘Albion’ between weeks 22 and 28 after planting.

TABLE 2 Comparison of fruit features of ‘Magellan’ with the proprietary male and female parents FRUIT FRUIT FRUIT RATIO WIDTH HEIGHT (Height/ HYBRID ID HYBRID NAME (mm) (mm) Width) 106861 Male Parent 43.33 49.67 1.15 107705 Female Parent 36.50 44.25 1.21 108789 Magellan 39.96 42.98 1.08 FRUIT HARDNESS Yield HYBRID ID SHAPE* (newtons) (g/clone) 106861 7 9.42  405 107705 7 N/A 1061 108789 6 8.79 1143 *Fruit shape: 1. Oblate; 2. Globose; 3. Fan Lobes; 4. Necked; 5. Short wedge; 6. Symmetric conic; 7. Conic; 8. Long conic; 9. Long wedge

TABLE 3 Comparison of fruit features between ‘Magellan’ and the check variety FRUIT FRUIT FRUIT RATIO HYBRID WIDTH HEIGHT (Height/ HYBRID ID NAME (mm) (mm) Width) Check Albion 41.62 51.96 1.25 Variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,228) 108789 Magellan 39.96 42.98 1.08 FRUIT HARDNESS Yield HYBRID ID SHAPE* (newtons) (g/clone) Check 7 8.68  892 Variety 108789 6 8.79 1143 *Fruit shape: 1. Oblate; 2. Globose; 3. Fan Lobes; 4. Necked; 5. Short wedge; 6. Symmetric conic; 7. Conic; 8. Long conic; 9. Long wedge 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘Magellan’ substantially as shown and described herein. 